Lancaster said: “It was a good, confidence lifting win to start the campaign but we realise things get much tougher now.

“To run in seven tries and score that amount of points against Fiji was a good effort.

“Yet the lads know there are still areas to improve upon.

“You can make mistakes against Fiji and get away with it but you can’t against the All Blacks, Wallabies or Springboks. The performance against Australia next weekend will need to be even better if we are to beat them.”

Apart from an opening spell when the visitors applied some heavy pressure and threatened to score an early try, Lancaster’s men looked impressive.

It was just the start Lancaster wanted with much bigger and tougher rivals to come in the next few weeks with Australia, South Africa and New Zealand waiting in the wings.

Wing Ugo Monye and flanker Tom Johnson also crossed with the hosts being awarded a penalty try as well as they dominated.

England led 25-0 at half-time after having to soak up early Fijian pressure and the shock of losing scrum-half Danny Care to the sin-bin for a tip tackle.

They almost conceded a try following the tenth-minute setback with a last-ditch tackling stopping their opponents crossing.

The lively Fijians wasted early pressure and two kickable penalties as England survived some early scares.

Flood nailed his first penalty as England, realising they were in for a real battle, took the easy points rather than go for more.

But you sensed the floodgates would open once the white tide was able to head in the right direction and Gloucester’s Sharples, 23, used his pace and power to scramble over the line for a converted try.

Fiji lost captain Deacon Manu to the sin-bin and England took advantage of their extra man and were awarded a penalty try.

Quins star Monye, 29, waltzed over for the third try on the stroke of half-time.

Johnson forced his way across to give England momentum again at the start of the second half.

Then powerhouse Tuilagi showed just how much damage he can do to opponents when at full charge, crashing over for two fine tries.

Sharples had already stormed over for his second as Toby Flood continued to add the extra points before Owen Farrell took over for a late conversion.